Across the Royal sea

Chapter 3

William

I saw this beautiful woman arriving at the village again. I have been seeing her almost everyday, early in the morning or in the late afternoon. She always had her cart with her, filled with logs when she arrived and filled with some other things when she left after. I didn't understand at all what she could be doing with all of that stuff.

I left the castle, like every time I saw her coming. I took place in a small cafe, near where she installed herself to sell her logs. I was always surprised when thinking she did that all by herself. It was hard to imagine such a beautiful and delicate lady putting down trees to sell them in the village. However, I had also noticed that she didn't have any ring on her finger, which meant: she was not married yet.

I looked at her, always smiling, often making business with the same men. She arrived in the morning with her logs, exchanged them for some money and stayed to discuss a bit with those men. I took advantage of it. I took all this time to look at every detail of this woman.

Her mid-length wavy hair, that were more or less bright, her eyes, that were the exact same color. Her wonderful smile and her perfectly tanned skin. She almost always wore the same dress model, surprisingly long for someone who was working outside all day. Only her forearms and her collarbones were exposed. However, despite that the dress was relatively modest, it wasn't enough to cover her strong breasts. Of course, they were helping to get her to be more attractive but it wasn't what caught my attention the most.

I loved her ability to work even if she was a lady. I loved seeing that everyday, she was there, giving all she could when she had the option to get herself a man that could provide for her. I loved how I didn't know anything about this woman. She arrived overnight just like that and succeeded in making herself a great place in the village one way or another. She was fascinating.

I had heard rumors saying that she lived in the abandoned cabin in the woods. I wasn't sure of it, but it was the most plausible hypothesis with how she always made the way from here to there. However, I didn't think the abandoned cabin was a safe place for a woman like her.

The more I looked at her, the more I was starting to think she looked like Mr. Vaughan's wife. I never saw her in person, but I saw many paintings of her when I got to his place for some work visits. I chased that idea out of my head soon enough. This woman couldn't be Mr. Vaughan's wife. She wasn't married et Mr. Vaughan would never leave her like that. He was always bragging about her, telling me how beautiful she was, how much he loved her and how he was so glad to have a woman like her with him. It could be one of her sisters or simply someone who looked like her.

The cafe's owner came to sit on the other side of the small table where I was. He was a good friend of mine and one of my strongest men when it came to battle. He was a good take when I had to defend the island or to invade another.

-Still watching Mrs. Larsen, huh? I thought you had no interest in women, Mr. Donovan!

I took a sip of the coffee he'd brought me before adding a bit of cream in it.

-That's what I also thought but, this woman, she... She makes me feel some ways I couldn't even describe! I want to have her by my side, I want her to be with me to rule the island and help me with my projects.

-I have no doubt she would be perfect for that. But that's not surprising, I think she's Mr. Vaughan's ex-wife. Even if she doesn't want anyone to know that.

I looked directly in my friend's eyes, suddenly colder.

-Full name.

-Johanne Larsen, Sir.